Minister Tours Train Manufacturer Alstom – Ballarat

On Thursday morning last week Minister Steve Herbert also toured the train manufacturer Alstom while in Ballarat. During the visit the Minister presented a number of certificates of appreciation including;

Ballarat secondary college for establishing a school based engineering apprenticeship with BGT and Alstom

6 Alstom employees that provided mentoring support to BGT apprentices

Congratulations and thank you to BGT and Alstom for hosting Minister Herbert on Thursday morning last week.

The Andrews Labor Government is helping Victorian apprentices finish their training with $3.7 million in extra funding for vital programs to support their welfare.

Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert was in Ballarat last Thursday to announce the funding and to meet with local apprentices at Alstom Australia.

Alstom currently employs two apprentices, hosts a further three apprentices, employed by GTO Ballarat Group Training (BGT), and also supports five school based trainees from Ballarat Secondary College.

From the funding, $2.7 million will be used to extend the Apprenticeship Support Officer (ASO) program for another year.

The officers provide support and guidance to thousands of young apprentices during their first year of training with 25 Apprenticeship Support Officers based at TAFEs across the state.

On top of extending the support program, the Labor Government will invest $1 million to work with TAFEs, Group Training Organisations and employers to identify ways to help apprentices complete their training.

According to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, only 56 per cent of apprentices that commenced nationally in 2010 completed their apprenticeships.

The Labor Government is making sure every Victorian has access to the training they need to get a real job.

While in Ballarat, Mr Herbert attended the Group Training Association of Victoria’s mid-year conference.

Group Training Organisations contract apprentices and trainees and host them out to employers who might otherwise not take such a person due to the administrative burden.

They also provide much needed extra support to apprentices, trainees and employers.

Earlier this year, the Labor Government announced $9.3 million over three years for GTOs.